The Talenti 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Pian di Conte is a classic, stately wine with lots of dark fruit, dried blackberry, spice, tobacco and balsam herb. The wine registers 15% alcohol, which puts a lot of extra muscle mass on these otherwise elegant fruit tones, thus subtracting from some of the grace of the vintage. Production sees 6,600 bottles and some larger formats as well.

The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Pian di Conte (with 6,600 bottles made) offers a heavier and more oak-driven style with ripe cherry fruit, soft tannins, spice, smoke, tar and road paving. It fits its Riserva designation squarely, but in truth, I prefer the more lifted and lighter approach taken by Talenti's two 2016 Brunello releases. Those wines both show greater clarity of fruit to my palate. However, this quality is nothing to sneeze at. This is a proud, shapely and well-crafted Brunello with sweet plum, cherry and blackberry on the close. Those sweet fruit nuances are followed by spicy cedar and campfire ash.

The Talenti team has made great strides forward in recent years. The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Pian di Conte (with 7,000 bottles made) opens to a mildly fragrant bouquet that puts greater focus on floral aromas. I get whiffs of dried rose and lavender. From there, you skip over the fruit aromas to toasted notes of scorched earth and campfire ash. This wine is distinguished by those very particular aromatic contrasts. The tannins are tight and still sharp, so a few more years of cellar aging are certainly required. The wine is succulent and flavorful, and your mouth will salivate (mine did). Nice job.